Customization Manager for Orchid Extender

Customization Manager for Orchid Extender unlocks the full potential of Python for customizing Sage 300. It enables quick and easy management of the embedded Python installation used by Extender and supports installation of most of the 200,000+ packages from the Python Packaging Index or any custom package from a version control system (VCS) repository.

Download Customization Manager

Note

Customization Manager version 9.0.0 has been released with full support for Extender 9 and Python 3.8.8. After upgrading to Extender 9 and activating the Python 3.8.8 environment you will need to reinstall all customizations managed by Customization Manager.

Many of the customizations currently distributed with Customization Manager are listed in the Customization Catalogue.

Customization Manager screen displaying available customizations.

What is the problem?

Extender uses an embedded Python installation that does not include the usual executables or run in a standards compliant shell. This makes it difficult to leverage Python’s package ecosystem when using Extender to customize Sage 300.

How does it work?

Customization Manager for Orchid Extender makes it easy to install, uninstall, and retrieve the information for customizations. It works by temporarily creating a fully functioning Python environment and using pip, the standard Python package manager, to manage the Extender Python installation.

How do I get a copy?

Download Customization Manager.

API keys are used to keep your customizations private. Contact us if you need a key.

How do I…

Have a look at out How-Tos for quick guides to working with the interface and getting common tasks done.

What can I use it for?

Installing and removing customizations! This alone unlocks lots of new opportunities for Extender.

Install Sage 300 Customizations

If you have a deployment key, Customization Manager allows you to install customizations that have been created for you.

With a standard key, you can install any of the included customizations.

To see a list of the customizations that are currently being distrubuted with Customization Manager, have a look at the Customization Catalogue.

With a developer key, you can manage the full underlying Python installation, publish your own customizations on the index, install customizations from VCS, perform automated testing of customizations and much more.

Leverage libraries

Need to parse an excel file, do calculations with Julian Dates, access a database or web service like AWS? Maybe a little AI to perform dynamic validations?

Simply build a customization for Customization Manager, leverage the libraries, and save yourself from recreating the wheel.

Create your own

Create and publish your own libraries to keep DRY and maximize code re-use. Customization code that you use frequently across scripts and re-use the code from your pajckage to save time, improve maintainability, and deliver highly readable code focused on your customer’s business logic.

This approach makes backporting bug-fixes to existing customers simple. Simply fix the code, publish a new version of the customization, and upgrade the Customization in one click using the Customization Manager! No need to redistribute new module files.

VCS Support

Pip can install directly from a Version Control System. Supported systems include git, subversion, mercurial, and bazaar. This makes development and testing of customizations much easier: install the customization directly from the code repository in editable mode and upgrades will use the latest commit.

Customization Manager depends on pip, and can do all the things that pip can, so check out pip’s docs on working with VCS for supported schemes and syntax.

Note that to download customizations using a VCS the binaries or supporting libraries for the VCS must be installed seperately. At present, the SSH transport protocol is not supported.

Debugging and Viewing the Log

Some customizations cannot be installed. In particular, those that require custom extensions be compiled in place are not supported.

To figure out why a particular action failed, or just to see a transcript of the customization actions performed, use the ‘View Log’ button. This will open the logs for the last two operations in the default viewer for text (.txt) files.

Help!

If ever things aren’t working as expected, a customization you need won’t install, or you accidentally uninstall pip (please, never do this), drop us a line and we will help to get you running.